Deposition of metals on earthenware articles.



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GERALD WILLIAM LAYBOURN, OF STOKE-UPON IRENT, ENGLAND.

DEPOSlTION OF METALS 0N EARTHENWARE ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 716,559, datedDecember 23, 1902.

Application filed June 17, 1902. Serial No. 112,037. (No specimens.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD I/VILLIAM LAY- BOURN, a subject of the Kingof England, residing at Stoke-upon-Trent, England, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Deposition of Metalson Earthenware Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the deposition of metals or metallic coatingson domestic, ornamental, sanitary, or other earthenware articles orbodies.

The chief object of the invention is to deposit metals or metalliccoatings on the articles when in the biscuit or porous state by means ofelectrolysis; and the invention consists in the process or method forthis purpose hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

According to this invention the article or body after biscuit baking orfiring is placed in this condition in a water-bath,and the conductivityof the Water contained in the pores or channels of the body greatlyassists the deposition of the metal. WVhen the article is thoroughlysoaked or steeped,it is removed and dusted or coated over with anelectrical conducting medium, such as plumbago, and is then placed in anelectroplating-bath containing the metal to be deposited on its surfaceor surfaces.

Instead of applying the electrical conducting medium to the body afterit has been fired I may incorporate it with the body in the course ofmanufacture.

The body is composed of definite proportions of clays, silica,andsimilar materials and is fired or heated in a suitable oven or stove inorder to impart to it the requisite degree of porosity without causingit to be rotten or easily broken.

I do not wish to limit myself to the use of any special materials or tothe proportions in which these may be employed, as they may be varied tosuit requirements; but I have found the following materials used in theproportions stated give satisfactory results: ball-clay, 260.5 parts;china-clay, two hundred and fifty-four parts; oxid of silicon or flint,three hundred and fifteen parts; stone, 170.5 parts.

The body constituted as above stated is baked or fired for a periodusually lasting for forty-eight to fifty-four hours, during which it issubjected to a temperature of approximately 1,500 Fahrenheit. The periodoccupied in firing the body is in accordance with its composition and isalso regulated by the requirements of such body for the subsequentdeposition of the metal. This firing period may be varied and is not ofso great importance in the process as is the temperature to which thebody is subjected. The temperature must be obtained very gradually, andwhen the desired limit has been reached the temperature is maintained atthis point for some hours, during which the body soaks in the heat andbecomes thoroughly baked, thereby attaining the highly porous conditionnecessary. For this purpose I may employ any temperature which issufficient to impart to the body the requisite porosity.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of depositing metals on earthenware articles whichconsists in steeping the article in water, applying to it an electricalconducting medium and then depositing the metal on the body byelectrolysis.

2. The process of depositing metals or metallic coatings on earthenwarearticles which consists in steeping the article when in the biscuitstate in water applying to it an electrical conducting medium and thenplacing it in an electroplating-bath.

3. The process of depositing metals on earthenware articles composed ofdefinite proportions of clays, silica and similar materials whichconsists in firing it to a temperature sufficient to render it highlyporous then steeping it in water then applying to it an electricalconducting medium and then depositing the metal on the article in anelectroplating-bath.

4. The process of depositing metals or metallic coatings on earthenwarearticles which consists in firing the body in a gradually-increasingtemperature allowing the body to soak in the heat at the maximumtemperature then steeping it in water then applying to it an electricalconducting medium and depositing the metal by means of electrolysis.

5. As a manufactured article, an earthenware body which has beenelectroplated by applying to it an electrical conducting medium,steeping the body in water and then placing it in anelectroplating-bath, Substantially as described.

6. As a manufactured article an earthenware body which hasbeenelectroplated by being steeped in water when in the biscuit state andhaving an electrical conducting medium applied to it and a metaldeposited on the article by means of electrolysis.

7. As a manufactuared article an earthenware body which has beenelectroplated by a process which consists in firing the body in agradually-increasing temperature allowing the body to soak in the heatat the maximum temperature then steeping it in water then applying to itan electrical conducting medium and depositing the metal by means ofelectrolysis.

8. The process of promoting electrolytic deposition of metals onearthenware articles to which a conducting substance is added, whichconsists in soaking such articles in water while they are in a porouscondition and

